Bikes, Blues and BBQ organizers said they expect around 400,000 people for the festival through the weekend. To serve all those people, BBB has brought in more than 150 vendors, many of which are from out of state, and many of them won't pay the city permit fees.

40/29 has discovered all but 31 of the 168 vendors at BBB are paying the festival organizers for the permits.

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Fayetteville City Planner Andrew Garner said BBB was granted one special events permit. Garner said with that special permit, organizers are charging vendors $700 per 10 square feet, which the city will not receive.

The 31 vendors that have set up on private land did have to obtain permits directly from the city. Those permits cost $100 each.

Garner said all vendors will pay a special hotel tax and city taxes.

Food and drink vendors must pay the Health Department to inspect them, and out-of-state vendors must pay additional taxes.

BBB said it will give local charities whatever is left over from the money it earns from the vendors.